ne plus ultra

American  

[nee pluhs uhl-truh, ney, ne ploos ool-trah] / ˈni ˌplʌs ˈʌl trə, ˈneɪ, ˈnɛ ˌplʊs ˈʊl trɑ /

noun

1. the highest point; acme.

2. the most intense degree of a quality or state.

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ne plus ultra British  

/ ˈneɪ ˈplʊs ˈʊltrɑː /

noun

1. the extreme or perfect point or state

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Etymology

Origin of ne plus ultra

1690–1700; < New Latin, Latin nē plūs ultrā (may you) not (go) further beyond (this point)

Example Sentences

The ne plus ultra, though, was the Bullocks Wilshire tea room.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 14, 2021

Here is a top-notch Italian bubbly and a sublime grower champagne that shows why that region is the ne plus ultra of sparkling wine.

From Washington Post • Dec. 2, 2021

It is the ne plus ultra of contemporary hip-hop luxury.

From New York Times • Sep. 30, 2021

The Hope, often cited as a metaphor for ne plus ultra, is unusual in that it has been on view for over 60 years.

From New York Times • Nov. 28, 2020

To get all you want is, indeed, the summum bonum, the Ultima Thule, the ne plus ultra of political management.

From Ireland as It Is And as It Would be Under Home Rule by Buckley, Robert John